Drought Tolerant White Clover Cultivar for Dry Margins Environments

Summary

A breeding project using conventional breeding has developed white clover (Trifolium repens L.) cultivars for dry margins environments. This is the third breeding cycle of the national program that has previously developed cultivars with tolerance of summer moisture-stress to provide reliably persistent cultivars for the existing white clover zone (850-1,000 mm AAR). This breeding cycle has developed three experimental varieties with local adaptation to low rainfall (700-850 mm AAR) conditions. 


The breeding strategy comprised 
(i) selecting superior genotypes, 
(ii) crossing elite germplasm and 
(iii) in situ progeny testing of breeding lines for the expression of key traits. 


The selection criteria were stolon survival through hot/dry summers (and strong autumn recovery), high herbage yield (including high warm-season growth and high winter activity) and reliable persistence for at least four years. Parental selection was also applied for seed yield, uniformity of leaf size and flowering pattern, and freedom from disease and virus symptoms. When commercialised, cultivars developed from this set of experimental varieties will contribute a new perennial legume option for livestock producers in dry margins environments, favourable benefits for the pastoral landscape and increased security of food and fibre for domestic and export markets.